2016 Howard Beye Winter Hike

The weather has been extremely mild for winter in Western New York.  It was a very warm December.  I had planned on going hiking on January 1st to do a first day hike.  However, the weather was not mild that day and it snowed a lot.  Where I had planned on going was at the end of a dirt road and I didn't want to get my car stuck.  It wasn't hiking in the snow that would have been the problem, it was driving in the snow.

So I wasn't sure when I'd be able to go hiking again, but then I got an email from the FLT Conference reminding people that the 2016 Howard Beye Winter Hike would be Saturday, January 9th.  My mom has been telling me that she wishes I wouldn't hike alone and that I should find a group.  The weather looked good and the part of the trail was only an hour and a half away.  So I contacted to coordinator and Saturday morning I drove down to Bath, NY.

The group met at the Hickory Hill Campground.  It was a really nice campground that I'd be interested in going back to.  There's also a side trail that meets the FLT/NCT from the campground.  The guy in the gift shop was also willing to use the camp van to transport us to the trailhead if needed.  I left my car at the campground and hitched a ride with someone.

Getting Ready at the Trail Head
I'm in the blue jacket right behind the car.

We started the hike on the Bristol Hills Trail, a branch trail of the main FLT.  It was a huge hill where we started and I had to stop several times going up.  Many other people did too, but I quickly moved to the back of the pack.

Trail Going Uphill

The hike was 3.6 miles on the Bristol Hills Trail and then we hit the main Finger Lakes Trail/North Country Trail.  We stopped for lunch at the junction.  There was also a dead coyote there (I didn't take a picture).

Snowy Trail

Selfie with Trail Maker

We finished the hike on 2.1 miles of the main FLT/NCT.  We had cars at the end or we could have continued walking on the trail to the campground.  I was tired so I hitched a ride back to my car.  It was only mid afternoon but I was exhausted.

View of a Lake

It was a lot of fun and I'm really glad I did it.  I'm not so sure that hiking with a group is any better or worse.  I hiked my own hike and for much of the time I was by myself.  I just knew that there were people in front of and behind me.  It was nice to talk to other people who enjoyed hiking.

Several people mentioned the County Hike Series that the FLT Conference does throughout the Spring and Summer.  This year they are doing it in Catteragus County.  If I complete that I will have completed 96 miles of the FLT/NCT this year.  My goal is 100 miles this year for the North Country Trail Hike 100 Challenge.  Now I have 2.1 miles!